Little does Davis know what Hornets Coach Monty Williams, lurking on the periphery once the dais scattered, has in mind when Williams welcomes his newcomers for today's first official workout as professionals.

Yet for Davis, the gym will once again become a comfortable sanctuary where, from this point forward, Davis can concentrate on his career path, with a diversion next week for a trip to Las Vegas and a week working against NBA superstars competing for a spot on the USA Basketball team that will participate in the London Olympic Games.

"I'm going to stay down here and work out until about Wednesday when I leave to go to Vegas for USA-B," Davis said Friday. "I'll be in the gym and start working (Saturday). I don't know the schedule yet; I'm pretty sure they'll let me know. Whatever the schedule is, I'm just going to follow through with it."

Davis' exuberance will no doubt be tested by what Williams has in store for the two rookies, who'll be joining Lance Thomas and possibly Jason Smith in their first structured professional practices.

Suffice to say, it will not be easy, though Williams conceded the primary objective was to get Davis, as well as Rivers, acclimated.

"I think there's something pure that comes with working out in the facility over a long period of time," Williams said. "And to get him in our facility, showering in our shower, all that stuff helps guys get acclimated. I want the guys to understand how hard we work.

"Nobody is ready for how hard we work. I've seen guys come into our program and they leave and it's like 'My gosh, these guys are nuts.' And so I want him to get over that right away. And just getting our calls . . . . I've been told some of my calls are pretty goofy. So hopefully he can learn some of those hand signals early."

CHRIS GRANGER / THE TIMES-PICAYUNE The first pick of the NBA draft and new New Orleans Hornets player Anthony Davis posses for the cameras and media during his introduction to the city at the New Orleans Arena on Friday, June 29, 2012.

Davis said his training routine was interrupted this past week during his stay in New York that led up to Thursday night's NBA draft, but that his focus since leading Kentucky to the NCAA championship in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome has been rather narrow.

He is, nonetheless, ready for a return to normalcy.

"I'm ecstatic," he said. "Everything that's been going on, it's been kind of a whirlwind. But now just to get back to basketball, getting back in the gym and start working, trying to get to know the system . . . . It'll take a lot of hard work. I think I'm prepared for it.

"I've been ready. I just wanted to get everything out of the way and step on the court and not worry about anything else."

Davis' father and mother, Anthony Sr. and Erainer, say they'll live with the teen-ager during his first season in New Orleans and Davis said he'll try to find a place in the next few days.

Yet Davis conceded Friday that just one year ago, as he transitioned from a schoolboy-player to a collegian, his dreams didn't allow imaginings about where he finds himself today.

"I wasn't planning on being drafted this early in my career," said Davis, 19, who grew from a 6-foot-3 point guard to a 6-10 power forward during the course of his high school years. "I thought it would take a couple of more years, but that growth spurt really helped me; the seven inches really helped me a lot. I think if it wasn't for that, none of this would have happened. I always knew I was going to play in the NBA, just not this early.

"It's all been a whirlwind."

And while Davis' outside distractions may diminish in the coming days, his workload, and the demands on his time as one of the new faces of the franchise, will not.

"But I'm very comfortable with that," said Davis, who along with Rivers made a stop at Smith's basketball camp Friday morning before the noon introductory press conference. "I enjoy it. Going out there with Jason at his camp, talking to those kids, it was fun. We could have stayed longer, but I had to come to the press conference.

"You've just got to have fun with it. It's all been fun. It can be worse. I'm must trying to take it all in."